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UPDATE: Morris' second wind turbine up, could be operational by April

The second large-scale wind turbine in Morris is nearing completion, which the blades being attached to the tower on Thursday. The turbine could be fully operational by April. Photo by Dave Aronson, UMM.

A second wind turbine on Morris' skyline finally looks like one.

Workers hoisted and attached the blades to the tower on Thursday, and the turbine could be producing energy for the University of Minnesota, Morris campus by April, said Dave Aronson, a project manager in UMM's Plant Services.

The turbine, combined with the first turbine erected in 2005, means that about 70 percent of the campus' electricity will soon come from wind power.

Workers will continue final construction work on the turbine and the large crane used to build it will be disassembled, Aronson said.

Electrical work will begin and the turbine's transformer, which will be installed below ground near the tower, is expected to arrive in mid-March, he said.